Sand molds typically include an upper shell and a lower shell, often referred to as a cope and a drag. When juxtaposed, the cope and the drag define a hollow internal compartment therebetween having the external shape of the desired casting. If the casting includes an internal cavity, the sand mold further includes a core insertable in a predetermined position in the hollow internal compartment and which defines the internal cavity shape during casting. After the casting has solidified, the molding elements including the cope, the drag, and the internal core(s) are destroyed at shake out.
Preparing the molding elements is a time consuming task. It requires precision to ensure that the resulting casting is near its final shape. There is thus always a need to accelerate the turnaround time in the casting industry without losing precision in the resulting castings.